The gantry-type stud welding robot independently developed by CNNC 22 has been put into operation

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On April 13, in the intelligent steel structure workshop in Haiyan, Zhejiang, the gantry-type stud welding robot developed independently by CNNC 22 was put into operation, enabling the mass welding of SC studs used in nuclear power plants. This marks another important step forward in the automation of steel structure welding processes in nuclear power projects. As a core component of the reactor building containment, the SC structural module relies on stud welding as a critical process to ensure structural safety. Taking the cylinder section as an example, a single component contains over 2,700 studs, with the total number for the entire unit exceeding 260,000. For a long time, traditional manufacturing processes have relied on manual welding, and the quality of welding is greatly influenced by the skill level and consistency of the welders. Based on this, the R&D team at China Nuclear 22 developed an intelligent welding solution for gantry-type stud welding robots, integrating robot programming-free technology, laser rust removal, and multi-sensor coordinated positioning technology. This approach enables fully automated processing of steel components throughout the entire process – from rust removal and material feeding to positioning and welding – thereby ensuring stable welding quality and efficiency, with a first-pass welding success rate of over 98%. This technology precisely meets the needs for large-diameter bolt welding on the SC structural modules of CAP1000 nuclear power units, successfully overcoming the technical challenges associated with the automated welding of large curved structures. It eliminates the reliance on manual programming for complex, irregular-shaped components, thereby enabling an intelligent welding solution that does not require manual programming. In the future, CNNC 22 will continue to focus on the research and development of intelligent equipment as well as technological innovation in the nuclear power sector, accelerate the digital transformation of its workshops, and expand the applications of robotic intelligent welding in the complex structures used in nuclear power projects, thereby using advanced technologies to promote high-quality construction in this field.